CVE-2026-72201: Linux kernel · ntfs: validate index entries on reading
Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 9.8 Critical.
Data as of 9 Nov 2026, 14:06 UTC
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 15 Aug 2026
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponized: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 9 Nov 2026.
What to do
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-aws-6.14pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-aws-6.14?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-aws-6.17pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-aws-6.17?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-azure-6.11pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-6.11?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-azure-6.14pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-6.14?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-azure-6.17pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-6.17?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.14pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-6.14?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Check your own hosts for these packages with threat-finder (opens in a new tab), our free open-source scanner.
AI-suggested
A fix is available and has been applied to the affected Linux kernel versions listed. Users and administrators should update to the patched kernel versions to mitigate this vulnerability. Since this is not a cloud service, manual patching is required.
Description
A critical vulnerability in the Linux kernel's NTFS driver involves improper validation of index entries when reading index roots or index blocks from disk. This flaw has been resolved by validating these entries immediately after reading, which reduces the risk of missing checks during lookup and readdir operations.
References
- ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2026-72201 (opens in a new tab)
- cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-72201 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/linus/2221b691d7b2e17f08153f95848dacaa5d87e21d (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/2221b691d7b2e17f08153f95848dacaa5d87e21d (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/e2b95d3adb558ddd5685f9e072ec8661d57ee3a9 (opens in a new tab)